Apparatus for cutting fibers



Sept. 9, 1947.

D. C. THOMPSON ET AL APPARATUS FOR CUTTING FIBERS Filed Sept. 7, 1945lllllllllal Patented Sept. 9, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUSFOR, CUTTING FIBERS Donald C. Thompson, Raymond V. Dodge, Jr., andSamuel C. Nichols, Roanoke, Va., assignors to American ViscoseCorporation, Wilmington, Del., a corporation of Delaware ApplicationSeptember 7, 1945, Serial No. 614,986

- 13 Claims.

This invention relates to apparatus for cutting filamentary materials inthe form of wound loops, coils, skeins, hanks, waste laps from godets,thread-storage, thread-advancing reels and like thread-drawing rolls ordrums.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improvedform of cutting apparatus for filamentary material to handle suchmaterialin the form of wound coils or the like while assuring thatcutting to uniform lengths is obtained. Further objects and advantagesof the invention will be apparent from the drawing and the descriptionthereof hereinafter.

In the drawing, which is illustrative of the invention- Figure 1 is aplan view of the apparatus,

Figure 2 is a composite end elevationand transverse sectional view,taken on line A-A of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a perspective view of a coil holder, and

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing the operation of the cuttingdevice.

In general, the invention provides for the supporting of the filamentarycoils by suitable means extending therethrough. This supporting meansfor the coils and the cutting means is then given relative motion toefiect cutting of the series of coils carried thereby. Deflecting meansis provided for facilitating the discharge of the cut fiber clumps fromthe supporting means into a chute or other discharge channel which mayadvantageously be provided with a liquid spray to facilitate opening ofthe fibers if desired. The fibers whether treated with liquid or not maythen be deposited upon a conveyor or into a sluice trough for deliveryto a suitable collecting device or to subsequent treating devices.

Referring .more particularly to the drawing, the machine comprises asupporting framework or platform 2 which is provided at its top with twopairs of rails 3 which may be of rods, as shown, or of tubes havingcircular or rectangular cross section, circular being 'shown. Upon eacherence character 22.

to the rod 6 by means of the rod 9. The piston 8 may be operated in ahydraulic or pneumatic .cylinder l0 having suitable connections II andI2 with a hydraulic supply line 13 by means of a conventionalcontrolling valve 14. A hand lever l5 serves to operate the valve I4 andhence the piston 8 in conventional fashion. The frame 2 supports aplatform 16 carrying the motor ll for driving the rotating cutters l8carried upon the shafts I9.

As shown in Figure 1, the carriages are in their loading position readytobe moved to the right under the knives. A hopper or discharge chute20'is provided beneath that portion of the device including the cuttingstation and beyond, as viewed to the right of Figure 1. In the upperportion of the hopper, spray pipes 20a may be provided to facilitate thedischarge of the cut fiber clumps. On each side of the knife l8, thereis provided a deflecting member 2|. These members are secured to theupper portion of the framework at their right end indicated by ref- Theyare otherwise free and project beyond the knives into slots 23 of plate24 secured to the foremost of the end members 4 of each carriage.

The foremost end member 4 of each carriage is also provided with a block25 over which there is a plate 28. Plate 26 overhangs the block 25 inthe direction toward the knives. The rear end member 4 of each carriagecarries an upright post 21.

Figure 3 particularly shows the holder for the filamentary coilswhich-comprises two longitudinal members 28 connected together at oneend by the transverse member 29 which is offset from the plane of themembers 28 by means of the bent portions 38. The other ends arepreferably connected by means of an outwardly convex member 3| and forpurposes more particularly described hereinafter, the ends of themembers 28 adjacent the convex member 3| are preferably provided withtaperedridges 32. It is clear that the holder may be made of separateparts connected together by bolts or by welding, or it may be made in asingle piece by casting or the like.

As shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4, the transverse member 23 hooks under theoverhanging portion of plate 26 and the convex end 3| fits around theupwardly projecting post 21 on the other end member 4 of the carriage.The coils of filamentary material are indicated in dotted lines at 33.Means is provided to tension the coils by taking up their slack betweenthe members 28. As shown, a tubular member 34 is provided for thispurpose, This tubular member is disposed between the members 28 and isslotted at 35 to allow passage of the cutting knife 8 as indicated atthe left of Figure 2. Instead of providing a slotted tube, separatemembers spaced apart laterally may be provided to tension the coilswhile providing a passage therebetween for the knife.

The operation of the device is as follows: The holders shown in Figure 3may be provided wherever coils of filamentary material occur or are tobe supplied. For example, in an artificial filament spinning factory,several of these devices may be provided adjacent each spinning machine,so that the coils of material formed by the lapping of godets duringlacing up or doffing operations can be immediately placed upon theseholders. They are put upon the holders simply by slipping the coils overthe convex end at 3!. When ridges 32 are provided, they distend theinner windings and assure that the coil is renderedcompact at least atthe interior thereof, so that after passage beyond the ridges, the coilfalls upon the topmost of other coils placed thereon. The dimensions ofthe holder may be predetermined in accordance with the dimensions of thecoil or coils to be handled, so that after they are placed about rods 28of the holder they are either under slight tension or preferably have asmall amount of slack therein. After the coils have piled up on a givenholder until it is full, which is attained ,4 for imparting relativemotion to the supporting means and cutting means to effect operativeengagement of the cutting means transversely of the coils.

2. Apparatus for cutting filamentary coils comprising two laterallyspaced longitudinally extending members projecting through the coils forsupporting them as collapsed loops, means for tensioning the collapsedloops longitudinally of the filaments thereof, cutting means, and meansfor imparting relative motion to the supporting .members and cuttingmeans to effect operative engagement of the cutting means transverselyof the coils between the members.

3. Apparatus for cutting filamentary coils comprising two laterallyspaced members extending longitudinally through the coils for supportingthem as collapsed loops, means extending longitudinally intermediate thetwo members for tensioning the collapsed loops longitudinally of thefilaments thereof, cutting means, and means for imparting relativemotion to the supporting means and cutting mean to effect operativeengagement of the cutting means transversely of the coils between themembers.

when the coils are in proximity to the shoulders formed by the ridges32, the loaded holders may be trucked to the machine shown in Figures 1and 2 where an operator places one of the holders in position on thecarriage by hooking the member 29 under the plate 26 and the end 3| overthe post 21. He then operates lever l5 to cause the carriage to be movedunder the knife 18. This severs the coils across their middle and as thecut coils or clumps pass beyond the cutting stage, they are elevated bythe gradually rising portion 2 la of the upper surface of the deflectors2|. This facilitates the falling of the cut clumps from .the rods 28.They fall into the chute or hopper 20 which may be provided with aliquid, such as water, to facilitate opening up and to wash out acidsand the like. Over the chute, the fibers are discharged onto a conveyoror into a trough not shown) for transfer to subsequent stages ofoperation,

Additional knives may be provided upon the shaft l9 to effect cutting ofthe coil into a greater number of pieces than two as shown. Thus, aknife may be placed on each side of each knife l8 so that the additionalknives would cut the clumps between the adjacent rod 28 and thetensioning means 34, thereby cutting the coil into four parts. Theinvention provides for an efficient cutting of wound coils or loops offilamentary material, Whether such coils are in a. wet or dry condition.Cutting is effected so that uniform lengths of fibers are obtained andtensioning means is provided to minimize tearing and incidental abrasiveaction during the cutting operation.

It is to be understood that changes and variations may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in theappended claims.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for cutting filamentary coils comprising means extendingthrough the coils for supporting them as collapsed loops, means fortensioning the collapsed loops longitudinally of the filaments thereof,cutting means and means 4. Apparatus for cutting filamentary coilscomprising cutting means, a. carriage reciprocable with respect to saidcutting means, two laterally spaced members adapted to receive the coilslooped thereabout, said members being carried by the carriage andarranged thereon so that they extend longitudinally in the direction ofreciprocation of the carriage and are disposed on opposite sides of thecutting means, and means for reciprocating the carriage.

5. Apparatus for cutting filamentary coils comprising cutting means, acarriage reciprocable with respect to said cutting means, two laterallyspaced members adapted to receive the coils looped thereabout, saidmembers being carried by the carriage and arranged thereon so that theyextend longitudinally in the direction of reciprocation of the carriageand are disposed on opposite sides of the cutting means, means extendinglongitudinally of the carriage between the two members for tensioningthe coils, and means for reciprocating the carriage.

6. Apparatus for cutting filamentary coils comprising cutting means, acarriage reciprocable with respect to said cutting means, two laterallyspaced members adapted to receive the coils looped thereabout, saidmembers being carried by the carriage and arranged thereon so that theyextend longitudinally in the direction of reciprocation of the carriageand are disposed on opposite sides of the cuttin means, a longitudinallslotted member extending longitudinally of the carriage in the directionof its reciprocation with a slot thereof in alignment with the cuttingmeans for tensioning the coils and to cooperate with the cutting meansto facilitate cutting thereof, and-means for reciprocating the carriage.

7. Apparatus for cutting filamentary coils comprising cutting means, acarriage reciprocable with respect to said cutting means, two laterallyspaced members adapted to receive the coils looped thereabout, saidmembers being carried by the carriage and arranged thereon so that theyextend in the direction of reciprocation of the carriage and aredisposed on opposite sides of the cutting means, means extendinglongitudinally of the carriage between the two members for tensioningthe coils, stationary deflecting members positioned adjacent the cuttingmeans and extending beyond the cutting situation to elecomprising twolaterally spaced approximately vate the cut portions of the coils, andmeans for a reciprocating the carriage. 8. A device for supportingfilamentary coils comprising two laterally spaced longitudinal members,and an intermediate longitudinal member having a longitudinal slot andarranged to tension the coil between the first two members. 9. A devicefor supporting'fllamentary coils comprising two laterally spacedlongitudinal members, said members being rigidly connected adjacent oneend by a transverse member oflset from the plane of the longitudinalmembers.

A device for supporting filamentary coils comprising two laterallyspaced longitudinal members, said members being rigidly connected,adjacent one end by a transverse member ofl'set from the plane of thelongitudinal members, said longitudinal members being connected at theirother end by an outwardly convex member.

11. A device for supporting filamentary coils parallel longitudinalmembers adapted to receive the coils thereabout, tensioning meansapproximately parallel to the longitudinal members and disposedtherebetween to distort the filamentary coils from the plane of thelongitudinal members.

13.- A device vforsupporting filamentary coils com rising two laterallyspaced longitudinal me bers, means disposed between said two members fortensioning coils Qffilamentary material looped about said members,saidtensioning means being provided with a longitudinal passageapproximately parallel to the longitudinal supporting members.

DONALD C. THOMPSON. RAYMOND V. DODGE, JR. SAMUEL C. NICHOLS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in th file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,096,080 Berna-Allen Oct. 19,1937 2,283,626 Freydberg May 19, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number CountryDate 407,480 Great Britain Mar. 22, 1934

